Xingwen Geopark

Xingwen is a UNESCO Global Geopark built around karst in Permian limestone, and its two headline features are collapse sinkholes, notably the Xiaoyanwan and Dayanwan pits, and Tianquan Cave, a large decorated show cave with chambers, formations and an underground stream. The county is Miao territory, and villages, textiles and festivals of the Miao are part of what the park presents. The surface between the pits is a pitted plateau of dolines, terraces and small farms, walked on paths and viewed from platforms. Development is modest compared with Sichuan's better-known parks, and visitor numbers are far lower.

The landscape

• The sinkholes - large collapse pits with farmed floors and sheer walls.
• Tianquan Cave - a decorated show cave with an underground stream.
• The karst plateau - dolines and terraces between the pits.
• The Miao villages - local communities and their festivals.

When to go

April to October for warm weather; the caves stay cool year-round. Summer rain makes surface paths slippery. Miao festivals fall on the lunar calendar and are worth timing for.

Before you go

The park is less developed than Wulong or Zhangjiajie, with limited signage and English. Getting there without a car is slow. Cave lighting is coloured in the usual style.

Nearby

Shunan Bamboo Sea lies west; Yibin is northwest.